Topic: Ron Paul
Ron Paul's Fascism Comment Was Perfectly Justified Pinkerton may disagree. But unless you have an axe to grind or you just can't think outside the box, you should side with Paul on this one. by Grizzle Griz
(centrist)
Friday, December 21, 2007
Ron Paul’s Fascism Statement was Perfectly Justified.
Blogs and news articles lit up after Ron Paul’s quoted Sinclair Lewis about fascism in a discussion of Mike Huckabee’s Christmas advertisement. Most of them were half baked. First, almost every article took him out of context and refused to give him the benefit of the doubt, considering that he has never attacked another candidate, despite being the recipient of numerous attacks. Second, only one article on my Google News search, USA Today, has bothered to print Ron Paul’s later explanation of the statement (Fast forward to 1:07:15). Third, some articles like James Pinkerton’s at newsday.com are downright dishonest in their description of Paul’s statement. Finally, Paul has every right to be concerned about fascism growing out of the next presidential election.
I should first contextualize what Ron Paul said. Paul appeared on Fox & Friends ostensibly to talk about his fundraising drive. The Fox & Friends hosts had been talking to interviewees about Mike Huckabee’s new Christmas advertisement, where an allegedly intentional cross hovered over Huckabee’s right shoulder. One of them said that it is inappropriate for Huckabee to "use religion for political purposes". Before asking Paul any substantive questions (where Paul would be allowed a "one word" answer to each, no kidding), Steve Doocy asked Ron Paul what he thought about "this" (either the interviewee’s comment, Huckabee’s advertisement, or both; it’s hard to be sure).
Paul said "Well, I haven’t thought about it completely, but you know, it reminds me of what Sinclair Lewis once said. He said, ‘When Fascism comes to this country, it will be wrapped in the flag, carrying a cross.’ I don’t know whether that’s a fair assessment or not, but you wonder about using a cross like he is the only Christian, or implying that subtly. So, I don’t think I would ever use anything like that."
An almost-apoplectic Doocy sputtered, "uh, Governor Huckabee is not selling fascism. He’s simply sending out a Christmas message," Doocy clearly missed Paul’s point: Fascism won’t be sold as fascism, complete with swastikas, brown shirts, and a high-stepping march. It will be sold in a package of Christianity and patriotism. I’m sure Christmas fits that bill.
One may expect journalists and bloggers, who have more time to react, to understand Ron Paul’s academic point better than Fox’s weatherman. To be fair, some of their headlines inserted a question mark after "Paul calls Huckabee a fascist", but several were just downright dishonest. For instance, James Pinkerton of newsday.com split Paul’s quote and even added that Paul "caught himself" before saying, "I don’t know whether that’s a fair assessment". For the record, Paul did not miss a beat between the sentences. This means that either Pinkerton has an incredible insight into Ron Paul and we should all abandon candidacy-vetting for Pinkerton’s superior input or Pinkerton dishonestly speaks outside the scope of his authority.
There are plenty of other nonsense articles too, many of them coming from dedicated Paul-haters, but there is a more interesting topic to discuss, namely:
Old-school conservatives have every right to be fearful of fascism
Wikipedia says that ‘fascism’ can be associated with corporatism. Indeed, Paul specifically used it this way when he clarified his Huckabee-statement in the above link, and he explained that he wasn’t talking about Hitler-esque notions of fascism. So that means Ron Paul worries about fascist corporatism, but so should every American, especially the troops. And why shouldn’t we worry about it? Dwight D. Eisenhower used his Farewell Address to the Nation to address it. He warned citizens about the growing power and undue influence of the armament corporations on the U.S. government. We promptly dismissed him and now the military industrial complex is one of the largest, if not, the largest interest group in America. It has almost-consumed the Republican party, except, of course, Ron Paul.
Fascism can also be described as a coupling of right-wing ideology with progressivism. Progressives believe in expanding the powers of government. Right-wing ideologies tend to parse behavioral norms along lines of right and wrong. So fascism can be described as an expansion of government to enforce behavioral mandates. Unlike old-school conservatives, neoconservatives have made efforts to mandate social norms upon the citizens of the United States. This trend culminated during George W. Bush’s effort to bar same-sex marriages through the constitutional amendment process instead of the devolved federal process, an effort that Huckabee supported.
While neither American Corporatism nor behavioral mandates need be fascism per se, the coercion that neoconservatives levied against traditional conservatives bore many of the hallmarks. They appealed to notions of patriotism, employed Christian vernacular, and regularly threatened the old guard of Republicans with career-insolvency. In the process, they succeeded in advancing an undeclared, preemptive war and gained the power of surreptitious entry (without warrant) into your computer and telephone lines.
This is not a new battle in the GOP. Jerry Falwell, an influential Baptist minister, once opposed Sandra Day O’Connor’s nomination to the Supreme Court by stating, "Every good Christian should be concerned." Barry Goldwater Sr., the architect of the Republican Party’s conservative movement responded, "I think every good Christian ought to kick Falwell right in the ass".
However, Mike Huckabee has stepped into the limelight at a particularly interesting time in the story of the GOP. The neoconservatives are nominally in power, but Paul’s success symbolizes a resurgence of old libertarian-conservative values. He is the Antonin Scalia of the Congress, a man who takes the Constitution at its word with uncompromising dedication. By contrast, Mike Huckabee does not seem to have any underlying theory of governance. He just does what seems right to him.
Jonah Goldberg summed up Huckabee's political leanings on LosAngelesTimes.com, "Huckabee represents compassionate conservatism on steroids. A devout social conservative on issues such as abortion, school prayer, homosexuality and evolution,…a populist on economics, a fad-follower on the environment and an all-around do-gooder who believes that the biblical obligation to do ‘good works’ extends to using government -- and your tax dollars -- to bring us closer to the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth" Don’t believe Goldberg? Huckabee attests that his new popularity in the polls is solely the result of divine intervention.
Ron Paul has stated many times that he is a devout Christian but that he is very wary of anyone who would tout his religious affiliation in a political campaign. He lamented that Mitt Romney felt compelled to have to explain Mormonism. No doubt he is also wary of politicians who lack any political theory whatsoever, but manage to fill the gaps with Jesus. Without overarching political subscriptions, those politicians are more likely to succumb to the power and money of corporatism and they’re more likely to sell it with a flag and a cross.
Whether or not Huckabee would bring fascism to America is impertinent. What matters is the fact that we cannot know what he will bring to America. A man who would endorse a nationwide smoking ban just because he is on a health kick raises some serious red flags. Those flags tend to read a familiar and ugly word.
Goldwater also said, "When you say ‘radical right’ today, I think of these moneymaking ventures by fellows like Pat Robertson…who are trying to take the Republican Party and make a religious organization out of it. If that ever happens, kiss politics goodbye." Whether or not he was referring to fascism, one fact is certain; if fascism ever comes, you can kiss any intellectual discourse about it goodbye.
Both Paul’s intellectualism and bloggers’ unwillingness to unpack it can be a source of anxiety for Ron Paul supporters. But for the sake of raising the level of political discourse in America, the onus should be on the latter. Meanwhile, we should enjoy Paul’s freedom to discuss fascism on an intellectual level without jumping to hysteria.
The views expressed in this
article are those of Grizzle Griz only and do not represent
the views of Nolan Chart, LLC or its affiliates. Grizzle Griz is
solely responsible for the contents of this article and is not an
employee or otherwise affiliated with Nolan Chart, LLC in his/her role as a columnist.
Apparently, only Hitler and a select few can be called 'fascists'. I feel that Ron Paul is the only candidate that wouldn't be passing the torch of fascism. If Huckabee isn't a fascist now, he soon would be if elected. That's a suit he appears primed to wear.
You can't really know what went through Ron Paul's mind when he was asked the rediculous question about the Huckabee video by a hostile Neil Cavuto. I think he was not consciously calling Huckabee a fascist (which I personally think Huckabee is), but rather just making a general remark about the subtly of imagry in the add and the fact that the true message is cloaked underneath the surface.
I sort of suspect that in the back of Ron Paul's brilliant mind was the fact that Sinclair Lewis, who he quoted, also wrote ELMER GANTRY and when you look at Reverend Huckabee's out Christianing everyone you can see how a mind might make a quick connection.
For those of you unfamiliar with ELMER GANTRY, he was a preacher with the same problem as Jimmy Swagart and Jim Baker, preaching one thing and living another.
One of the larger points being missed is Dr. Paul's intellect. How many presidential candidates can, on the fly, quote a Sinclair Lewis, a literary great and be right on the money. For me personally, more than being a wonderful human being, a constitutionalist and a true patriot, Dr. Paul is a teacher.
Thanks to his candidacy and his ability to articulate his thoughts so clearly and concisely, my mind has opened up to a whole slew of issues that I hadn't really thought of before.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you Dr. Paul for teaching me your wisdom with humility and grace!
Posted By: No Name Supplied
Date: 2007-12-22 00:27:24
As I started reading this I did not like it but I did by the time I finished. There is no reason to have to justify Ron Paul's statement and by doing so one is playing into the web and I am not talking about the internet. This man is making the supreme sacrifice consciously and for that I am amazed, astounded, excited, and appreciatve and rejuevinated. Thank you Ron Paul and all your family and friends. I know that there are more of them every second. What was that about the one hundreth monkey? Where is that spell checker when you need it?
Good article, but the context is a little bit skewed.
Doocy did not ask Paul what he thought of Huckabee's ad, which Paul had never seen. He asked about the comment of the previous guest, who said that injecting religion into politics was Huckabee's intent.
Ron's reply was to that general point and perfectly proper.
You also missed the beginning of what Doocy sputtered: "Well, uh, I DON'T THINK that, uh, ahem, Governor Huckabee doesn't seem to be endorsing fascism ...."
Of course, reporters aren't supposed to say what they think and Doocy totally misrepresented what Ron had said. Of course, that misrepresentation was all over the news in minutes.
It was just another quickie hatchet job from Faux News.
Great assesment, enjoyed the read! I shouldn't, but I'm going to go there, where in the bible is the passage that says: "Thou shall teach thy son not to hang dogs" I'm sure the devout Huckster just missed thart one. What's really bad is that huckster used his influencial position to get hi son off the hook. I dare anyone to google "huckabee jesus juice". Yes he actually said it "I drink a different kind of jesus juice".
Doocy...Fox and Friends...Cartoon characters come to life?
You decide...not alot of depth there. Their job is to cheerlead for the NEO-CON platform. That's it.
"One word answer?" Gee that's not a veiled attempt to get
a soundbite that you can exploit huh?
The ahem "intellectuals" of the Fox News team Bloviating Bill, Whining Sean and last kid picked in gym class Cavuto are more sinister as they actually have a few people fooled by their "expert opinions". Cavuto tried hard to trap Ron Paul in a recent interview and is a little puke, O'reilly is a charter member of the pat myself on the back club and Hannity will wet his bed and suck his thumb when Ron Paul
wins.
Huckabee is a capable and engaging speaker and a first class liar and has a lot of skeletons in the closet.
Why has his campaign office refused to release transcripts from his sermons? Too damaging? If this phony gets elected
watch your wallet and your personal liberty. He is a religious phony big time! Oh yeah the "accidental cross"
in the background of his ad? No accident despite his denial. An independent film amker has analyzed the film and the lighting is intentionally displayed to make the cross stand out. I'm fine with the cross, just don't lie about it being unintentional. Huckster should go back to preaching and get out of Politics...we're fed up with phony conservatives and liars. Plenty of room in the pulpit for a B.S. er Huck go for it, god would want you to and judging by your campaign support you could probably raise more money as a preacher than a Presidential candidate!
Okay so what's up with Chuck Norris anyway? Shouldn't he be doing hair dye commercials or something? Does he really
think we give a hoot about his "endorsement" of Huckabee?
What's next Mike, god likes you more than the rest of the candidates...divine intervention so that you can become PRESIDENT? What a crock of manure...If Huckabee becomes President I'm going to START smoking CIGARETTES JUST TO PROVE A POINT!
First, let me state that I am not a Ron Paul fan. I personally think he would be bad for the country. However, anyone who is up in arms about his statement I would assume would either be incredibly ignorant or willfully disingenuous. We live in a world where the flag is used to sell beer and the cross is used to sell politicians; the truth of the Lewis quote seems selfevident to me. But then that's the way the media (particularly the "punditocracy" works these days: purposely twist someone's words completely out of recognition and beat that strawman to death...
My friends, I am from Arkansas. Ron Paul is right on the money about Gov. Huckleberry. The man is a religious fascist. He never missed a chance to raise our taxes. Every time he made a decision involving a state agency, people lost their jobs and when he got involved in deciding what kind of computer software the state of Arkansas was going to get then we had a payroll/accounting nightmare for the employees and others who depended on checks. A computer software called "Aesis" from Germany. Yes, I know in my heart of hearts that Mike Huckabee would turn America into a police state.
There is bad news about George Herbert Walker Bush.What if basically all racial-minority people would subscribe to the interpretations that George Herbert Walker Bush committed monstrous, racist, hate crimes while he was the President of the United States?It will eventually come out: it is only a matter of time.Respectfully Submitted by Andrew Yu-Jen Wang, J.D. Candidate B.S., With the Highest Level of Academic Honors at Graduation, 1996 Messiah College, Grantham, PA Lower Merion High School, Ardmore, PA, 1993 (I can type 90 words per minute, and there are thousands of copies on the Internet indicating the content of this post. And there are at least hundreds of copies in very many countries around the world.)_________________ “If only it were possible to ban invention that bottled up memories so they never got stale and faded.” Off the top of my head—it came from my Lower Merion High School yearbook.
A coworker of mine said, "I don't think there should be a minimum wage, I just think that there should be a base level of compensation that employers garbage disposal have to pay in order to provide for basic subsistence."Sean Hannity yelled at caller, "the government does everything badly, except national dryers defense." On the Wikipedia page for "space station" under "canceled space stations" it reads, "The Industrial Space Facility was a station proposed in the 1980s that was to be privately funded. The project trash compactors was canceled when the company created to build it, Space Industries Incorporated, was unable to secure funding from the United States government.
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